Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[puzzle]

Dear teacher,
Could you please tell me how to use prefer in "subjunctive Mood".
When to use "should +v"? and when to use "past tense" "past perfect tense"? thank you!

[Mister Micawber]

.
Prefer is one of those volitional words that formally take subjunctive in the dependent clause:

I prefer/suggest/demand that he arrive on time.

Should is used in an alternative form:

I prefer/suggest/demand that he should arrive on time.


I may not understand your last question-- is it entirely unrelated to the above? If so: use the past tense for both past events when their order of occurrence is clear; use past perfect tense for the earlier of the two past events when their order is otherwise unclear, or when you wish to stress the precedence.
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's